Artificial Intelligence as a Service: Trade-Offs Impacting Service Design and Selection

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Brecker, Kathrin; Lins, Sebastian; Trenz, Manuel; Sunyaev, Ali

Abstract: AI as a Service (AIaaS) is a promising path to leverage AI capabilities from th ... Expand

Abstract: AI as a Service (AIaaS) is a promising path to leverage AI capabilities from the cloud. However, there is no one-size-fits-all service, but heterogenous service options since interdependent AIaaS characteristics require trade-offs. We lack knowledge on these tradeoffs and how they result from conflicting characteristics. Therefore, we interviewed 39 AIaaS providers, customers, and consultants to provide rich descriptions of interdependent characteristics and uncover resulting trade-offs and their consequences. This study contributes to a better understanding of the inner functioning and interplay of AIaaS characteristics and discusses how this complex nature of service offerings impacts providers' design and customers' selection decisions. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence cloud computing ease of use data protection economies of scale

Methods: qualitative interview design artifact constant comparative analysis qualitative coding triangulation

Theories: SERVQUAL core competency theory

IS Architecture Complexity Dynamics in M&A: Does Consolidation Reduce Complexity?

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Onderdelinden, Eric; Hooff, Bart van den; Vliet, Mario van

Abstract: In this paper we aim to improve our understanding of the dynamics of IS archite ... Expand

Abstract: In this paper we aim to improve our understanding of the dynamics of IS architecture complexity (i.e, the change in this complexity over time) during the execution of a consolidation IS integration strategy (IIS). Based on two case studies, we find that unexpected levels of complexity emerge during IIS execution because of an underestimation of requisite complexity and an overestimation of the potential to reduce complexity. Our analysis shows that increased complexity is due to the fact that the intended consolidation IIS is only partially executed, and to increasingly emergent IIS execution. Additionally, we find that while complexity was reduced at the portfolio level, at more detailed levels of observation complexity was actually increased. Our paper contributes to knowledge in the field by providing a deeper insight into IS architecture complexity dynamics during the execution of a consolidation IIS, and the concept of IS architecture complexity in general. Collapse

Topics: enterprise architecture system integration business process management

Methods: case study qualitative interview design artifact archival research qualitative coding

Decentralizing Data Governance: A Case Study in TELCO Data Ecosystems

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ribeiro, Vitor; Barata, João; Cunha, Paulo Rupino da

Abstract: Data governance is crossing organizational boundaries. However, governance mech ... Expand

Abstract: Data governance is crossing organizational boundaries. However, governance mechanisms for data ecosystems have particularities, and tools to assist companies in steering decentralized data governance are lacking. This paper addresses these two gaps by presenting the results of a case study in the telecommunications industry (TELCO). After evaluating seventeen data governance maturity models and modeling the network actors' architecture, we classify data governance mechanisms across different companies according to the most prevailing profile of (1) data consumer, (2) data producer, and (3) data prosumer. Our findings confirm the significant differences in governing data ecosystems and present foundational data governance mechanisms for socio-technical networks. The results offer a starting point for the required data governance dimensions of more advanced maturity models crucial to developing a data ecosystem. For practice, our work illustrates essential decentralized data governance mechanisms in a highly regulated sector of the economy. Collapse

Topics: data governance digital ecosystem supply chain management data security value creation

Methods: maturity model case study qualitative interview literature study design science

Logics' shift and depletion of innovation: A multi-level study of agile use in a multinational telco company

2022 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Annosi, Maria Carmela; Mattarelli, Elisa; Micelotta, Evelyn; Martini, Antonella

Abstract: The use of Agile practices is typically associated to a wide array of benefits f ... Expand

Abstract: The use of Agile practices is typically associated to a wide array of benefits for organizations. This paper extends growing research on the ‘dark’ side of Agile by investigating the depletion of innovation in a large telco company following the large-scale implementation of Agile in R&D units. Our qualitative study reveals a shift in the organizational logics underpinning new product development, from a “navigating through unchartered waters” to a “putting out fires” logic. We tracked the change in key components of logics (goals of teams, source of legitimacy of team members and support and control systems) and explained the multi-level mechanisms through which the shift occurred, i.e., changes in processes of workflow management, work allocation, and performance management. We found that the new organizational logic negatively impacted individual attitudes towards the generation of new ideas by promoting the internalization of short-termism, a perceived drain in competences and confidence, and the lack of accountability for innovation. By focusing on changes in organizational logics, our insights expand current knowledge about the relationship between Agile implementation and individual attitudes. We also explain why unexpected effects of Agile implementation may go undetected in organizations, because they derive from multi-level, diffused, changes in the organization. Collapse

Topics: innovation management new product development agile software development research and development user attitude

Methods: qualitative interview theory development survey qualitative coding field study

When Standard Is Not Enough: a Conceptualization of AI Systems’ Customization and its Antecedents

2022 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Diaferia, Lorenzo; Blohm, Ivo; Rossi, Leonardo Maria De; Salviotti, Gianluca

Abstract: The centrality of information systems (IS) customization to match companies' ne ... Expand

Abstract: The centrality of information systems (IS) customization to match companies' needs with software systems available in the market has been researched extensively. The distinctive characteristics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems compared to other types of IS suggest that customization needs a new conceptualization in this context. We draw on evidence from expert interviews to conceptualize customization of AI systems as composed of four layers: data, models, algorithms, infrastructures. We identify a continuum of levels of customization, from no to complete customization. Since companies customize AI systems in response to business needs, we develop a theoretical model with six antecedents of AI systems' customization choices. In so doing, we contribute to both AI management research, by introducing the IS customization perspective in the field, and IS customization literature, by introducing AI systems as a novel class of systems and enlarging the understanding of customization for a specific class of software systems. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence open source decision making website data management

Methods: qualitative interview computational algorithm theory development qualitative coding experiment

A Social Science Approach Using Big Data for City Planning

2022 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Goh, Kim Huat; Boh, Waifong; Dommaraju, Premchand

Abstract: Cities bring about economic dynamism through positive economic externalities; h ... Expand

Abstract: Cities bring about economic dynamism through positive economic externalities; however, the concentration of people in dense locations has its costs -epidemics, social unrest, pollution, and congestion are some of the ills of cities. As cities evolve, they experience stress, and fault lines appear; the ability to pulse a city and provide early warning of these fault lines can prove advantageous for policymakers in managing and planning for cities. This paper outlines a research program that developed a city scanning tool to measure cities and detect aberrations as they surface. We aggregated data from various industry partners, governmental agencies, and public online sources to develop the measurement metric and applied social science theories to analyze and interpret the results. The results of this study contribute to information system (IS) research by showcasing the role IS research in city planning and for societal good. Collapse

Topics: social media healthcare data big data privacy Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Methods: natural language processing archival research literature study latent dirichlet allocation survey

Theories: symbolic interaction theory social sciences theory theory of economic growth

Breaking or keeping the habits: exploring the role of legacy habits in the process of discontinuing organisational information systems

2022 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 0

Authors: Rezazade Mehrizi, Mohammad H.; van den Hooff, Bart; Yang, Chaoran

Abstract: Users develop habits in relation to information systems (IS) to reduce the cogni ... Expand

Abstract: Users develop habits in relation to information systems (IS) to reduce the cognitive and behavioural efforts needed for using them. However, when these systems have to be discontinued, users face challenges regarding how to stop relying on their legacy habits. Despite their importance, we know little about how legacy habits shape the way users discontinue a legacy system. Through a comparative case-study approach, in a large mortgage firm and an international telecommunication company, we identify three roles that these habits play during the discontinuance process. We demonstrate that legacy habits not only play an ‘inhibiting’ role by keeping users attached to legacy systems; they also play a ‘bridging’ role by acting as a common ground for users to start working with a new system and a ‘deterring’ role when users resent certain habits of working with the legacy systems, despite their orientation to keep relying on these habits. We contribute to the IS habit literature by extending the roles of legacy habits beyond an inhibiting role. We also enrich the conceptualisation of legacy habits beyond the individual level by showing that the socio-technical conditions in which the habits are embedded impact the emergence and evolution of their roles during the discontinuance process. We discuss the implications of our findings for theorising and managing IS discontinuance process. Collapse

Topics: IT work information system use

Methods: qualitative interview case study theory development longitudinal research pilot experiment

Theories: socio technical theory

On the Influence of Cognitive Styles on Users’ Understanding of Explanations

2022 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Riefle, Lara; Hemmer, Patrick; Benz, Carina; Vössing, Michael; Pries, Jannik

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly complex, making it diffic ... Expand

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly complex, making it difficult for users to understand how the AI has derived its prediction. Using explainable AI (XAI)-methods, researchers aim to explain AI decisions to users. So far, XAI-based explanations pursue a technology-focused approach-neglecting the influence of users' cognitive abilities and differences in information processing on the understanding of explanations. Hence, this study takes a human-centered perspective and incorporates insights from cognitive psychology. In particular, we draw on the psychological construct of cognitive styles that describe humans' characteristic modes of processing information. Applying a betweensubject experiment design, we investigate how users' rational and intuitive cognitive styles affect their objective and subjective understanding of different types of explanations provided by an AI. Initial results indicate substantial differences in users' understanding depending on their cognitive style. We expect to contribute to a more nuanced view of the interrelation of human factors and XAI design. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence explainable artificial intelligence decision making systems design internet technology

Methods: experiment survey statistical power analysis statistical hypothesis test psychometrics

Digital governance mechanisms and principles that enable agile responses in dynamic competitive environments

2022 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Vaia, Giovanni; Arkhipova, Daria; DeLone, William

Abstract: Being an agile company today is no longer just about timely recognition of early ... Expand

Abstract: Being an agile company today is no longer just about timely recognition of early signs of change in order to defend an existing competitive position but rather being able to perpetually transition between a series of short-lived, temporary competitive advantages. While traditional IT governance approaches have lent themselves well to extracting value from a long-lasting competitive advantage, they can become a liability if agile companies need to continuously reinvent themselves in pursuit of a new, “transient” competitive advantage. To that end, a temporal dimension of IT governance (when and how fast to decide) becomes as important as its structural (who decides what) and procedural (how to decide) aspects. In this paper, we adopt a “ternary” view on governance and build on the extant literature in IS, strategy, and organisation design as well as exemplar case studies to explore how traditional approaches to IT governance structures, processes, and relational mechanisms are altered to improve sensing, deciding, and responding capabilities in turbulent business environments. These mechanisms are then summarised into four digital governance principles to guide future research and practice. Those principles are: 1) disciplined autonomy, 2) IS-Business convergence, 3) permeable boundaries, and 4) incremental financial commitment including fast experimentation. Collapse

Topics: IT governance strategic agility decision making digital transformation organizational change

Methods: case study

GAM(e) changer or not? An evaluation of interpretable machine learning models based on additive model constraints

2022 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 3

Authors: Zschech, Patrick; Weinzierl, Sven; Hambauer, Nico; Zilker, Sandra; Kraus, Mathias

Abstract: Mathias, "GAM(e) changer or not? An evaluation of interpretable machine learnin ... Expand

Abstract: Mathias, "GAM(e) changer or not? An evaluation of interpretable machine learning models based on additive model constraints" (2022). ECIS AbstractThe number of information systems (IS) studies dealing with explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) is currently exploding as the field demands more transparency about the internal decision logic of machine learning (ML) models. However, most techniques subsumed under XAI provide posthocanalytical ex planations, which have to be considered with caution as they only use approximations of the underlying ML model. Therefore, our paper investigates a series of intrinsically interpretable ML models and dis cusses their suitability for the IS community. More specifically, our focus is on advanced extensions of generalized additive models (GAM) in which predictors are modeled independently in a nonlinear way to generate shape functions that can capture arbitrary patterns but remain fully interpretable. In our study, we evaluate the prediction qualities of five GAMs as compared to six traditional ML models and assess their visual outputs for model interpretability. On this basis, we investigate their merits and limitations and derive design implications for further improvements. Collapse

Topics: Python explainable artificial intelligence missing data usability IS discipline

Methods: experiment design principle generalized additive model descriptive statistic archival research